Safety device



G. E. MARTELL SAFETY DEVICE Dec. 31, 1957 Filed March 29. 1954 INVENTORLGE E. MARTELL ATTORNEYS United States Patent SAFETY DEVICE George E.Martel], Runnemedo, N. L, assi'gtlor to Smith,

Kline & French Laboratories, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Application March 29, 1954, Serial No. 419,182 1 Claim.(Cl. 192-130) This invention relates to a #safety device and, moreparticularly, to a device for preventing foreign objects and operatorsfingers from being engaged by a pair of adjacently positioned rollers.

In certain types of printing operations, an engraved print roller isadapted to operate 'adjacent to a transfer roller. The two rollers arein engagement with each other and the transfer roller carries inkfromtthe engraved portions of the print roller and transfers'the ink toobjects to be printed. These rollers generally rotate in such directionsthat the engaging portions of the rollers move away from the operator.ofthe machine. It is necessary at'intervals for the operator to wipe offthe transfer roller in order to insure continued clean printing. Withthe engaging rollers rotating in the direction described, there is ahighly hazardous condition existing and the likelihood of harm to theoperator or damage to the machine as a result of foreignobjects,including the operators fingers, becoming engaged between the rollers isgreat.

It is the object of this invention-to-provide a safety device which maybe positioned adjacent to the'rotating rollers or to any similarrotating elements to prevent foreign objects from becoming engagedbetween the rollers and, at the same time, to provide only a minimum ofobstruction or coverage over the surfaces of the rollers to provide amaximum exposed area of the rollers to facilitate the operatorsobservation of the rollers and cleaning of the rollers.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of apparatus embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation taken on the trace 22 shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary showing of the apparatus taken on the trace 33of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a diagram showing the electrical circuit involved.

Referring to the drawing, an engraved printing roller 2 is mounted on ashaft 6 which is supported at each end by blocks 8 which are afiixed toframe members 9. A transfer roller 4 is mounted on a shaft 10, the endsof which are supported by the block 8. The two rollers 2 and 4 arepositioned so as to be in engagement with each other. A member 12extending transversely of the roller 2 is mounted on a shaft 14 which issupported by the block 8. The member 12 carries a blade 16 which restsupon the roller 2 with a force provided by the weight of the member 12.An ink reservoir 18 is supported below the roller 2 in such a positionthat the roller rotating in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure2, carries ink from the reservoir 18 toward the blade 16. A conveyor 20passing between the frame member 9 and below the rollers 2 and 4includes a plurality of rows of yieldably mounted article carryingblocks 22. Articles 24 are carried on the blocks andpass under theroller 4 and come into engagement therewith as the conveyor 20 moves inthe direction of the arrow 26 in Figure 2.

The roller 2 is engraved with a plurality of annular successions ofindicia 30. As the roller 2 rotates, it carries ink upwardly from thereservoir 18 and the ink penetrates into the engravings on the roller.The scraper blade 16 moves the excess ink from the roller and'thesurface of the roller passing beyond the scraper blade 16 contains inkonly in the engraved portions thereof. The roller 4, which is preferablymade of hard rubber or other suitably yielding material, is pressed intoengagement with the roller 2 and, as the-ink filled engravings of theroller 2 come into contact with the roller 4, ink is picked up from theengravings by the roller 4 and carried by the roller 4 which rotates ina counterclockwise direction downwardly toward the conveyor 20. Thelocations of the engravings on the roller 2 and'the speed of rotation ofthe rollers is selected so that a transferred ink indicia carried by theroller 4 comes into engagement with and is applied to each of thesuccessive articles carried by the article carrying blocks 22 passingunder the roller 4, as indicated at 32 in Figure l.

The roller 2 is driven by means of a gear 34 mounted on the shaft 6. Theroller 4 is driven by means of a gear 36 mounted on the shaft 10. Thegears 34 and 36 are in mesh with each other and are driven through thegearv train 38 from a shaft 40. A motor, shown at 42 in the wiringdiagram of. Figure 4 and not shown in Figure 1, drives the shaftthrougha belt 48 in a conventional fashion. A magnetic brake 46 ismounted on the shaft 40 and isadapted to arrest rotation of the shaft inthe conventional manner in response to operation of an electricalcircuit shown in Figure 4 and which will hereinafter be described.

A fixed plate 50 extends longitudinally above the rollers 2 and 4 and issupported by brackets 52 affixed to the blocks 8. A pair oflongitudinally extending movable plates 54 are positioned under thefixed plate 50 and have oppositely positioned longitudinally extendingedges 58 and 60, respectively, extending outwardly from under the fixedplate 50. The movable plates 54 and 56 are each provided with a pair ofslots 62 through which there extends pins 63 supporting the movableplates from the fixed plate from movement toward and away from eachother.

A pair of conventional limit switches 64 is mounted on a bar 62 attachedto the movable plate 56. The plates 54 and 56 are provided with cut-awayportions 66 and 68, respectively, to provide space for the limitswitches 64. Each of the limit switches 64 is provided with theconventional limit switch operating lever 70. The movable ends of theoperating levers 70 are adapted to engage the edge of the recess 66 inthe movable plate 54. It will be evident that the arrangement describedwill provide for movement of either or both of the limit switchoperating levers 70 in response to movement of either or both of themovable plates 54 and 56. Thus, in the operation of the apparatus, anoperator while cleaning the rollers 2 or 4 may accidentally engageeither of the movable plates 54 or 56 by a foreign object such as acleaning rag or his fingers whereupon the engaged movable plate will bedisplaced causing actuation of one or both of the limit switches 64.

Referring to the wiring diagram of Figure 4, the apparatus is connectedto a suitable source of power by means of a conventional disconnectswitch 72. A pilot light 73 is connected across the load side of thedisconnect switch to indicate closure of the switch. Two condoctors 74and 76 connect the disconnect switch with two terminals on the supplyside of a conventional three pole motor starter 78. The motor 42 isconnected to the corresponding load side terminals of the motor starter78 through conductors 80 and 82. A start contact 84 of a conventionalstart-stop switch S6 is connected in series between the conductor 74 andthe third load side terminal 88 of the motor starter. This connectionserves to energize the motor starter holding coil 87 when the startswitch 84 is closed, the coil 87 being connected between the terminal 88and the conductor 76. Connected in parallel with the start switch 84 isthe stop switch 90, the normally closed contacts of the two limitswitches 64 and the third contact 92 of the motor starter 78. Thiscontact 92 serves to hold the coil 87 of the motor starter after thecoil has been energized through the start switch 84, and the motorstarter closed.

The brake 46 is connected across the conductors 74 and 76 in series witha rectifier 94, a current limiting resistance 96 and a contact 98. Thecontact 98 is positioned to be opened when a solenoid coil 99 isenergized. The solenoid coil 99 is connected between the conductors 80and 82 supplying the motor 42.

In operation of the apparatus, upon closure of the disconnect switch 72,the brake 46 is energized and rotation of the apparatus is prevented.Upon closure of the start switch contact 84, the motor starter coil 87is energized, closing the motor starter and supplying power to the motor42. The potential applied across the conductors 80 and 82 serves toenergize the solenoid coil 99 opening the contact 98, releasing thebrake 46. After the motor starter has closed, the start contact 84 maybe opened and the motor starter coil 87 is sealed in through the motorstarter contact 92, the limit switch contacts 64 and the stop switchcontact 90. Thereafter, the motor will continue to operate until one ofthe limit switches 64 of the safety device or the stop switch 90 isopened. Opening of one of these switches will cause the motor starter todrop out, the contact 98 to close and thus the brake 46 will be appliedsubstantially immediately, serving to arrest rotation of the machineand, particularly, of the rollers 4 and 6 whenever any foreign objectengages either of the movable plates 56 or when the stop switch contact90 is actuated.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with a printingapparatus employing a pair of adjacent rollers, it will be evident thatthe safety device may be adapted for use with any power driven apparatushaving a pair of adjacently positioned generally parallelly extendingrotatable members. Thus the invention is not limited to association witha printing apparatus. It will be evident that these and othermodifications may be made in the embodiment of the invention disclosedherein without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth inthe following claim.

What is claimed is:

A safety device adapted for use with a pair of adjacently positionedpower driven rotatable rollers having generally parallel adjacentsurfaces, the device comprising a fixed plate extending generallyparallel to said rollers and positioned with its underside facing saidrollers and with each longitudinal edge thereof adjacent to one of therollers, a pair of plates, means movably mounting said plates on theunderside of said fixed plate for movement generally parallel with theunderside of said fixed plate and, transversely thereof, one of saidmovable plates having one edge extending out from under one longitudinaledge of said fixed plate between said fixed plate and an adjacentroller, the other of said movable plates having one edge extending outfrom under the other longitudinal edge of said fixed plate between saidfixed plate and the other adjacent roller, said movable plates eachbeing positioned substantially tangentially to its adjacent roller, andelectrical control means responsive to movement of either of the platesand adapted to act in response to movement of either of the plates toarrest operation of the power driven rollers, the fixed and movableplates substantially completely closing 01f the space between therollers below the fixed plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

